Improvement in fence-posts



W. B. MARKHAM.

FENCE-POST.

No. 189,480. Patented. April 10, 1877.

O J? g E Fqj? ATTORN EY,J.

PETERS. PHOTG-LiTHDQRAPHE R. WASHINGTON, D. OJ

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. MARKHAM, OF BETHEL, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO FRANK DUGKETT, OF GHAPIN, ILLINOIS. I

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCE-POSTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 189,480, dated-April 10, 1877; application filed February 10, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, WILLIAM B. MARK- HAM, of-Bethel, in the county of Morgan and State of Illinois, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Fence-Posts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation .of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a central vertical section of my fence-post, and Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views thereof.

The nature of this invention consists in certain bracing attachments to fence-posts, hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, A designates the rails of a fence, and B the vertical battens connecting the ends thereof. The lower ends of said battens are set into recesses or mortises in the tops of the middle parts of transverse horizontal ground-pieces G O, which extend some distance on each side of said fence. Each contiguous pair of battens form a compound post, being set face to face, and inserted into the same recess or mortise at their lower ends, as shown in Fig. 1. In said battens, near their upper ends, are registering apertures b, through which pass in opposite direction loops d, formed on the upper ends of strong doubled wires D. Said wires extend obliquely outward and downward in opposite directions to staples E E in the ends of the ground-piece or base-piece, in which the lower ends of said pair of battens or compound post is mortised. The upper loop d of each wire D is held to said post by means of a wedge or key, F, driven through said loop, and between it and said post. Said wires are thus easily detachable, so as to allow the fence to be taken to pieces and removed from place to place. The bracing action of said wires and ground-pieces G G, when secured in position as stated, gives great strength to each pair of battens, and also to the fence as a Whole.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of two corresponding perforated battens, B B, ground-piece U, bracingwires D D, having loops [1 d, and keys F F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM BRITHWIOI; MARKHAM.

Witnesses:

D. 0. GALLON, FRANK DUGKETT. 

